


Eight to Five Step Size

by RenWolf



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Marching Band, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Heartwarming, Minor Spoliers for White Clouds, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Spoilers for Rhea & Seteth & Flayn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:40:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26316598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RenWolf/pseuds/RenWolf
Summary: The Eisners are well known for being renowned pianists. For the longest time, Byleth has focused only on her homeschooling and her music. However, when Jeralt accepts a teaching position as Garreg Mach Highschool’s assistant band director, things are about to be a little different... like playing at 160 bpm while backwards marching and oh no what is the percussionist section doing—
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd & Dedue Molinaro, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd & My Unit | Byleth, Edelgard von Hresvelg & Hubert von Vestra, Edelgard von Hresvelg & My Unit | Byleth, Hilda Valentine Goneril & Claude von Riegan, My Unit | Byleth & Claude von Riegan
Kudos: 8





	1. Movement 1: Measures 1-3

**Author's Note:**

> Is it just me or are there a lot of FE3H band nerds?

Outside of the opera house, swarms of people lined up behind a set of large double doors. They clutched their tickets as their bags were searched by a team of overworked employees.

Beyond these doors, a pair of teenagers quietly conversed as they made their way to their seats.

“Really, Claude! You’d think with your status you could score us killer seats. Now we’re stuck towards the back,” a young woman pouted.

“Sorry Hilda, but I don’t feel like getting the press involved today,” the other responded. Currently, he was scrutinizing the program one of the concierges had passed to him. His eyes scanned a column of names until he found what he was looking for.

“Sure enough, Eisner’s playing tonight,” he remarked, a grin crawling on his face.

“Eisner?” Hilda said, an eyebrow raised. “You mean _Jeralt Eisner?_ ”

Claude pointed to the program. Sure enough, Jeralt Eisner’s name was inked in the center.

Hilda smirked. “Does this have anything to do with what you heard while snooping outside Seteth’s office?”

Although Hilda was a natural for playing dumb, even Claude had to admit there was a silent intelligence hiding beyond her puppy-dog eyes.

“No wonder you insisted on coming here so badly,” she said thoughtfully. “Remind me what the rumor is again?”

“Eisner is supposed to be the assistant band director this year.”

Hilda’s eyes widened. _“No way!_ You sure it’s this guy? Not a cousin, or something?”

“The one and only.”

Hilda opened her own program, checking Eisner’s name once more. “How did Seteth manage to get a guy like him on the staff?”

Claude shook his head. “Rumor is, it wasn’t Seteth who got him on board.”

“Then who?”

“Rhea.”

Hilda sighed. “She sure knows how to get what she wants, doesn’t she?”

The pair had finally found their seats, and settled into the red, velvet cushions that lined the rows of the opera house.

“Hey Claude, check out who plays later this evening.”

Claude leaned over Hilda’s shoulder. “What am I looking for?”

Hilda’s painted nails tapped a familiar last name.

_Eisner._

Was Jeralt playing twice today?

Hilda moved her finger to reveal the first name.

_Byleth Eisner._

Something about the name seemed familiar, as if Claude had heard it in a conversation a couple years back.

“Do you think they’re related?” Claude asked.

Hilda smiled. “Don’t know. But I guess we’re about to find out, aren’t we?”

***

In Dimitri’s opinion, the performance tonight had been intriguing. He couldn’t put into words how excited he was, finally getting to hear Jeralt Eisner play the piano. The man was so talented that the orchestra didn’t dare to accompany him. The music alone was powerful enough to sway the entire audience.

Next to Dimitri sat his closest friend, Dedue. He watched the spectacle with equal awe.

The conductor of the orchestra approached a microphone in the center of the stage.

“I’d like to thank all of you for attending tonight’s performance,” he began. “Remember, video recordings of tonight will be available for purchase during intermission. Additionally, here at the Mittlefrank Opera House, we’d like to give a heartfelt thank you to Jeralt Eisner for coming down to play for us all.”

The crowd erupted into applause, and Jeralt Eisner bashfully waved to the audience.

“For our next piece, we are blessed to present his daughter, who will also be performing tonight.”

A young woman was warmfully welcomed as she walked onstage. She seated herself on the piano bench.

Dimitri furrowed his eyebrow. “She can’t be much older than you or me, can she?” he whispered to his friend.

“Apparently she’s also a senior, and a talented pianist at that.”

Silence fell over the audience as Byleth began to play. 

Dimitri found himself analyzing her performance.

To start, her technique was unparalleled. With each arpeggio, her fingers soared across the piano keys with a precision few possessed. Unlike those who pounded the piano for volume, she was able to create sounds that filled the opera house in a way that seemed effortless. As the piece progressed, the tempo quickened. And yet, Byleth never faltered.

Still, there was something unusual about the way she played… 

Dedue leaned over. “Impressive, isn’t it?” he whispered.

Dimitri nodded. “Clearly. But something’s off. Can you hear it?”

Dedue thoughtfully listened as Byleth Eisner finished her piece. The audience rose to their feet as they congratulated her performance. “She has a masterful understanding of volume, and knows how to pace her crescendos and decrescendos. But she’s using a variance in dynamics to cover her lack of emotion while playing.”

“Lack of emotion?” Dimitri questioned.

“It’s something commonly seen among child prodigies. They have the technique to play advanced pieces, but their lack of life experiences limits them from playing with the same emotion used by professionals.”

Dimitri furrowed his brow. “I was told I played the same way when I was younger. That’s why I was curious.”

“You mean when you still played violin?”

Dimitri nodded. “I never connected with that instrument. It’s why I switched to saxophone.”

“You made the right choice.” Dedue turned his head to look over at the orchestra, who were prepping for the next piece. “It’s a shame that saxophones are one of the only instruments to be excluded from a full orchestra.”

Dimitri sighed.

“It sure is.”

***

“I finally managed to get rid of the press. The rest of the night should continue smoothly, Miss Edelgard.”

A young woman wearing a crimson jumpsuit nodded in response. “Thank you, Hubert. Has anyone else of significance been spotted at the performance?”

“Dimitri of the Fraldarius family has already been spotted tonight. Rumors are circulating that Claude of the von Riegens attended as well,” Hubert stated.

“Interesting.” Edelgard put a finger to her chin. “Do you have an idea of where Byleth Eisner is currently located in the venue?”

“Her father was last seen at the bar near concessions. It’s likely she’s somewhere nearby.”

“Then let’s be off.”

Hubert placed a hand on Edelgard’s shoulder. “Miss Edelgard, if you wish to avoid the press tonight, I strongly recommend against getting anywhere near Mr. Eisner.”

“I’m afraid this is a matter that can’t be avoided,” Edelgard said, shaking her head.

“If you’d like, you can tell me what you wish to say, and I will deliver the message for you.”

“Hubert. This is something I’d like to do in person.”

Hubert frowned. “I just don’t see why you’re willing to take the risk.”

“Maybe,” Edelgard sighed, “It would help if I told you the story behind all of this.”

For a moment, Edelgard’s eyes glazed over as she looked off somewhere in the distance. She quickly turned her attention back towards Hubert.

“Although her talent was recognized only recently, Byleth was good with a piano even at a young age. As a child, my parents were quick to compare our skills, being so close in age. Every time she played something new, my parents would be quick to show me. They would scold me on how little I had accomplished. I began to resent her music, because it was a painful reminder of everything I wasn’t.”

“If this is a matter of revenge, I will happily take care of it for you,” Hubert said. His voice was unusually soft.

And yet, a small smile surfaced on Edelgard’s face.

“After I became first chair in band, my parents stopped comparing me to Byleth. You can only make comparisons between a piano and a trumpet for so long,” Edelgard said with a laugh. “On a whim, I decided to listen to recordings of her performances again. The second time, I was able to appreciate the talent behind her music. Something had changed inside of me. I had gone from wanting to play _better_ than her, to wanting to play _with_ her.”

Hubert was still quiet. “Is this why you so easily accepted _the decision_ Principal Rhea made a couple months back?”

“I may have my own disagreements with the principal, but the decision she made was something at least both of us could agree on.”

Hubert’s attention was directed to something past Edelgard’s shoulder. “It seems we won’t have to worry about the press,” he remarked.

Walking towards them was Byleth Eisner herself.

“Your performance tonight was splendid,” Edelgard complimented. “I’ve been listening to you play for some time now, and it’s an honor to watch you perform live.”

Byleth did not smile. She only nodded her head politely and gave a quick thank you. Edelgard could feel Hubert tense behind her.

“Garreg Mach Highschool is lucky to welcome your father as our assistant band director,” Edelgard added. “However, we’re even more pleased to welcome you as our drum major.”

Byleth’s eyes widened. “Come again?” she asked. This was clearly news to her.

Edelgard cleared her throat. “Principal Rhea has appointed you as Garreg Mach High’s drum major this marching season.”

———

_~Director’s Seteth’s Guide to Marching Band~_

_Drum Major: In charge of conducting the field show. The band relies on them for tempo as well as some visual cues. Some high schools have three, while others only have one._


	2. Movement 1: Measures 4-5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth visits a certain someone at the hospital, and gets her first look at the percussion section.

No matter how many times Byleth visited the hospital, she could never get used to the winding halls, or the stale scent that always seemed to hang in the air. Several framed pictures of the ocean decorated the hallway, but it did little to brighten the room. Thankfully, it wasn’t long before she found the door she was looking for.

As Byleth pushed the door open, she saw a small girl sitting in a medical bed. Tubes running through her body connected to a nearby machine. She lazily paged through a magazine sitting on her lap, but the moment she saw Byleth her eyes lit up with joy.

“You’re back!” she called, quickly tossing the magazine to the side.

“I haven’t been gone for that long, Sothis,” Byleth said, but she easily relaxed into a smile. Byleth never put her emotions on display, save the times she was allowed to visit her sister at the hospital.

“So,” Sothis said, resting her head against the palm of her hand, “How’d you do last night?”

“Same as always,” Byleth said, sighing. “Lots of stuffy high-class people attended.” Byleth suddenly remembered the young woman in the red jumpsuit. “Now that I think about it, there was someone else my age there. She’s going to the highschool Dad’s teaching at starting this fall.”

Sothis crossed her arms. “I wish I could go to a real school. I’m tired of staying inside all day and not being able to talk to anyone.”

“If I got the opportunity to stay in all day, I’d take it in an instant.”

Sothis frowned. “You say that now, but give it half a year and you’ll be bored out of your mind.”

“I have no doubt,” Byleth commented. “Oh, I almost forgot something. Apparently I’m supposed to be a drum major for next year.”

Sothis’s jaw dropped. “What do you mean  _ ‘supposed to be?’ _ Most people have to go through an auditioning process just to get a chance to try out!”

“The girl I talked to said the director asked the three top students in the band if they wanted the position. All of them declined.”

“Why would they decline? Only the best are considered that role.”

Byleth furrowed her brow, trying to remember what Edeldard had told her. “The girl I talked to said she wanted to play the show’s solo instead. For the other two, one of them didn’t think he deserved it, while the other didn’t want to take on the responsibility that came with the job.”

“They’re all taking what they have for granted,” Sothis pouted. “But you can’t. You better make sure you’re the best drum major and lead your band. Don’t let them down, okay?”

“I won’t,” Byleth assured her.

“And you have to send me a video recording of the field show!”

“I will.”

Byleth continued to fill her sister in on the week’s happenings, but before she knew it, it was already time to leave. Jeralt met her at the entrance to the hospital.

“What did the doctors say?” Byleth immediately asked.

“She’s not getting any worse, but she isn’t getting any better either,” he said. “You know she’s had heart problems even as a kid. I know you both got your mom’s hair and eyes, but I was hoping you didn’t get her heart as well. I’m certain Sothis did.”

Shortly after Sothis was born, their mom passed away due to some underlying heart issues. A couple years later, and Byleth’s sister had to be admitted to the hospital for similar cardiac problems.

It was scary, but the Eisner family kept moving forward. It was all they knew how to do.

“By the way,” Jeralt said, “I forgot to mention, but you’re meeting Seteth soon to go over your duties as drum major. You’ll also meet some of the other highschoolers. School doesn’t start for another month or so, but Seteth wants you to be ready before you start band camp.”

“Band Camp?” Byleth asked, perplexed.

“Just a week of hell,” Jeralt said nonchalantly. “Don’t worry, it’ll be fun.”

***

Byleth was expecting Seteth’s office to be daunting, but it was surprisingly welcoming. On his desk was a photo of him with a young girl she assumed to be his daughter. His teaching credential was framed on the wall behind his chair, and a small line of trophies sat under a window.

As warm as the office was, the man who occupied it was not as friendly.

“Do you mean to tell me you have no marching experience at all? And the only instrument you’ve played is piano?”

Byleth shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “That’s correct, Mr. Seteth.”

“Just Seteth is fine,” he said, waving his hand. “It seems I’ll have my work cut out for me this year. We’ll need to meet every day in order to get you up to speed. For now, just focus on familiarizing yourself with the rest of the band.”

A knock sounded on Seteth’s door.

“Oh good, they’re here.”

The door to Seteth’s office opened to reveal Edelgard, along with two other students.

_ I wonder if they’re the two students who turned down the position, _ Byleth thought to herself.

“It’s good to see you again, Byleth,” Edelgard said. “I’d like you to meet Dimitri and Claude.”

She gestured to them as she said their names. Dimitri shook her hand as Claude flashed a smile.

“Each of us are in charge of an instrument family,” Dimitri explained. “I take care of the woodwinds, while Edelgard is in charge of brass and Claude handles percussion.”

“I was thinking I would introduce you to some of the brass section leaders first,” Edelgard stated.

“I thought it would make more sense to start with woodwinds,” Dimitri frowned.

“In case both of you forgot, Ms. Byleth here is a pianist, meaning she should go to percussion first,” Claude stated.

Edelgard opened her mouth to protest, but Claude quickly cut her off.

“So it’s settled then?” he asked.

“You guys go ahead, Edelgard and I can work on something for band council,” Dimitri said, attempting to make a compromise.

Before Byleth knew it, Claude was dragging her away.

The percussion room felt more like a storage space than a classroom. Two marimbas and a xylophone were pushed to the side of the room, and various types of drums hung on the wall. Four copper timpani drums on a moving platform rested in the center of the room.

“Do you take all of these out to the football field?” Byleth asked.

Claude nodded. “Every day.”

“Which one do you play?”

Claude unhooked one of the smaller drums from the wall. “The snare.”

He grabbed a pair of drumsticks from one of the pockets and played a quick drum roll. He played a couple of slower beats before pointing one of the sticks at Byleth. “My job as the center snare,” he said, twirling the drumstick around his finger, “Is to get everyone on the field so you can start the count off.”

“I don’t know why Seteth thinks I can do all of this,” Byleth said, rubbing her temples. “I’ve been playing music for as long as I can remember, but this all sounds like a foreign language.”

“You don’t need to worry about anything,” Claude smiled. “I can tell you’re good. Just keep at it, and you’ll be where you need to be in no time.”

“I just don’t know how I’ll be able to remember everyone’s names.”

Claude’s eyes glanced to a clock. “You’ll get a head start. Drumline practice is about to start.”

With that statement, the door burst open.

“Hey Claude!” a voice from the doorway sang.

“Good to see you arrived on time for once, Hilda.”

Hilda rolled her eyes. “How could I not? Not after I heard  _ you’d _ be here today!” She said, turning to Byleth.

“Do I know you?” Byleth asked.

“Not now, you don’t,” Hilda shrugged. “Don’t worry, we’ll be besties!”

Another student walked into the building.

“Buddying up with the drum major now so you can skip practice later?” he asked.

“I didn’t ask you for any comments,  _ Lorenz _ .”

“Pleased to meet you, Byleth Eisner. I’ve heard of your praises, and I’m thrilled to get closer over the year.” The compliment might have been flattering if Lorenz didn’t have a disgustingly smug expression on his face. “In fact, you should know that I—”

Lorenz was drowned out by the sound of someone shouting in excitement.

_ “Heyyy!  _ It’s been so long you guys! How was everyone’s summer!” 

A very large figure wrapped Claude into a bear hug.

Lorenz frowned. “Raphael, could you not wait for just a minute? As I was saying, I—”

“I don’t think I’ve seen you before!” Raphael said, pointing at Byleth and cutting off Lorenz (which earned him a groan of annoyance).

“I’m Byleth Eisner.” 

Byleth had never seen anyone as big as Raphael, and shaking his hand made her feel tiny.

“Has anyone seen Leonie?” Claude asked, already arranging sheets of music on a nearby stand.

“Now that I think about it, she said she was coming a little late. She said there was someone she wanted to see,” Hilda said.

“You can meet her later, Byleth.” Claude pulled out his phone, which was buzzing with notifications. “Looks like I’ve kept you for too long. Edelgard already sent me dozens of texts to let me know my time’s up.”

With the comment, the door slammed open once more.

“You should have finished a while ago, Claude!” Edelgard said as she gripped the frame of the doorway. “This was supposed to be a quick introduction, not a grand tour!”

“Speak of the devil,” Claude whispered to Byleth.

Dimitri appeared behind her. “Let’s just try to make use of the time we have left.”

Claude winked. “It was good meeting you, Byleth. Chat again soon, okay?” 

Before Byleth could respond, Claude was already drawn back into the percussion room. “Put down that triangle, Hilda! I already told you I wanted you on bass with Raphael!” He called. “And no Lorenz, it was already decided I was going to be the center snare. You can fill in on the days I’m not here.” Just like that, he was gone.

Byleth turned back to Edelgard and Dimitri.

“Unfortunately, the most we can do is walk you back to your car. Claude made sure to take his sweet time,” Edelgard muttered.

“However,” Dimitri countered, “Some of our friends are around, so you can meet a couple more people before you go back today.”

The two friends, who Edelgard and Dimitri introduced as Hubert and Dedue respectively, were stone statues compared to Claude’s eccentric percussionists. Byleth couldn’t help but notice they were foils of one another. Dedue was about as large as Raphael, and his lips were locked in a stone cold expression, but she could tell he had kind eyes. Hubert, although taller than Byleth, wasn’t nearly as big as Dedue. Yet his eyes seemed to be analyzing every movement around him, always scheming and calculating.

“Byleth, this is Hubert. He’s our baritone section leader. He’s a very close friend of mine,” Edelgard explained.

Hubert offered no introduction in return.

“And this is Dedue,” Dimitri added. “We met in our middleschool’s jazz band. He’s our bass clarinet section leader.”

“It’s good to finally meet you, Byleth,” Dedue said.

Byleth couldn’t help but notice there was an icy wall between the two pairs of friends.

“So, how did you all choose your instruments?” she asked, hoping to ease the tension.

“We didn’t have enough baritones. Edelgard asked me to step in. Nothing more than that,” Hubert stated.

Dedue spoke next. “I used to play clarinet. I was offered to play bass clarinet in return for moving up to a higher level class,” he said. “During jazz band, I play alto sax with Dimitri.”

An awkward moment of silence followed. Byleth hoped someone would carry on the conversation, but neither side made an attempt. For the remainder of their time, they walked in a perfect row— Hubert and Dedue on the outside, Edelgard and Dimitri in between, and Byleth stuck in the middle.

“We’re finally at the parking lot,” Edelgard finally said. Byleth had never been so thankful to be near her car. Jeralt sat in the front seat, waiting.

“We’ll catch you soon, okay?” Dimitri said, waving goodbye.

Byleth nodded before climbing in the front seat.

Almost immediately her phone buzzed with a notification.

_ New message: From Sothis _

_ How’d it go? Did you meet new people? Has Seteth started teaching you already? _

_ New message: From Me _

_ Some people. This is going to be an interesting year. _

_ New message: From Sothis _

_ You can’t leave anything out! I want to know all the details! _

_ New message: From Me _

_ I’ll FaceTime you later. _

Byleth leaned back in her seat. She had met so many people in what felt like so little time. And yet, that wasn’t even half of the band. 

In addition, she still had those drum major lessons with Seteth.

Byleth shuddered. What was that guy’s deal anyway?

“Overwhelmed?” Jeralt asked, patting her on the shoulder.

“Very.”

“I think this’ll be good for you. You meet good people in band camp.”

“You say that as if you were in it yourself.”

“But I was. I played the tenor drum. Band camp is also where I met your mother.”

Byleth snickered. “You met Mom at  _ Band Camp? _ ”

“As happy as I am to get a rare laugh from you, that’s enough.” Jeralt’s stern voice failed to conceal his smile. “If I didn’t meet her there, you wouldn’t be here today.”

“Still, how did that happen?”

Jeralt thought to himself for a moment. “That’s a story for another day.”

———

_ ~Director’s Seteth’s Guide to Marching Band~ _

_ Band Camp: A week-long summer camp that occurs before school starts. It’s notorious for being long (about 7-9 hours a day), hot, and difficult for some of the newer members. _

_ Section Leader: An upperclassman assigned to be in charge of their section. _

_ Drumline: Percussionists who march with the rest of the band (snares, tenors, bass). _

_ Center Snare: Works with the Drum Major to keep the band in time. Usually a percussion section leader. Arguably the most skilled out of drumline. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you keeping track at home:
> 
> ~Brass~  
> Edelgard- Trumpet  
> Hubert- Baritone
> 
> ~Woodwinds~  
> Dimitri- Alto Saxophone (formerly violin)  
> Dedue- Bass Clarinet (doubles as alto saxophone)
> 
> ~Percussion~  
> Claude- Center Snare  
> Lorenz- Snare  
> Hilda- Bass  
> Raphael- Bass  
> Leonie- Unknown
> 
> Drum Major: Byleth
> 
> ~Staff~  
> Seteth- Band Director  
> Jeralt- Assistant Band Director  
> Rhea- School Principal


	3. Movement 1: Measures 6-8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth’s accidentally intimidating personality begins to create problems. Leonie finally meets her idol’s daughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First non-lord student POV!

Jeralt was right. Band Camp was extremely hot, but the heat was the least of Byleth’s worries at the moment.

_ “The drum major’s way too strict.” _

_ “I’m too afraid to ask anything. I feel like she’s going to kill me.” _

_ “Are we sure she’s a student?” _

_ “Completely different from her dad, right?” _

_ “I wonder if they’re actually related…” _

The whispers seemed to surround Byleth like a swarm of bugs that refused to leave her alone.

“Byleth, I wanted to talk to you about the last drill we ran.” Seteth had stepped out from under the tarp that had been shading the rest of the staff. “You’re doing an excellent job picking out the students’ mistakes, but you should focus on offering positive reinforcement as well.”

Byleth nodded. “I understand,” she said, turning back to the band. “Standing by!” she called.

So many commands to memorize, and such little time to learn them all. Byleth was grateful Seteth had been mostly understanding, but even she could tell her lack of experience was beginning to grate on his nerves.

As the next drill ran, Byleth’s eyes scanned over the block of students. Before she could make a comment, Seteth held up a hand. “I changed my mind. Hold back any remarks for this set,” he said. “I want you to watch the clarinet section leaders this time around.” He gestured over to Dedue and two other girls.

Byleth searched her brain for their names. Dimitri’s smiling face popped into her head.

_ Along with Dedue, Annette and Mercedes make up the rest of the clarinet section, _ he had said.

Mercedes, the taller of the two, was first to speak after the drill had finished. “It’s looking wonderful so far,” she said, tapping a freshman on the shoulder. “Do you mind stepping out of the marching block for a moment? I want to fix your posture.”

The student looked back to the rest of the band, clearly anxious to be separated from his friends.

“Don’t worry, it’ll be super quick!” This time, it was Annette who spoke.

“I’ll start the next drill,” Seteth assured Byleth, bringing her back to reality. “Just see if you can pick up a couple tips from the other students.”

Byleth carefully made her way to the clarinets. As soon as the freshman saw her, his eyes widened. He turned to Mercedes and Annette for support.

For a moment, Byleth was unsure of what to say. “It’s… looking good,” she said. The words were slightly unnatural coming from her, but she was determined to make an effort.

The freshman slowly relaxed.

“Keep your shoulders back!” Annette reminded him.

Before long, the freshman was back in the marching block, determined as ever.

Byleth couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride over the freshman’s quick improvements.

“It’s difficult, isn’t it?” Dedue fidgeted with his bass clarinet, rapidly pressing keys as he and Byleth watched the rest of the band.

“What?”

“To try and be encouraging when everyone’s afraid of you.”

Byleth thought back to the freshman’s initial fear when she first walked over. She couldn’t help but notice how similar it was to her first impression of Dedue, how intimidating he seemed compared to Dimitri and Edelgard.

“How do you get around that?” Byleth asked.

“I try to hang around friendly people. They act as a bridge between other people and myself.”

“And who’s a friendly person?”

Dedue thoughtfully watched the rest of the band. “I’m not familiar with many people outside of the woodwinds, but Ashe might be a good person to start with.”

“Ashe?” Byleth could tell who Dedue was talking about before he even pointed him out. A piccolo player with endless energy bounced around a group of flutes. His laughter could be heard from where Byleth stood.

“I don’t think there’s a single person in this program who dislikes him.”

Just watching Ashe smile made the corners of Byleth’s lips perk.

“Thanks for the advice, Dedue.”

“It’s not a problem.”

“Dimitri’s lucky to have a friend like you.”

Deduce smiled.

“And I’m lucky to have him.”

***

Just as Byleth had expected, Ashe was more than willing to let her tag along for the rest of the day.

“I'll see if we can introduce you to more people!” he said. “I just have to get through a quick sectional first.” Ashe put a finger to his chin. “Maybe you can meet Ingrid while we’re at it…” 

The flutes had formed a ring of music stands, with Ingrid standing at the center.

“Your flutes should be held at a perfect ninety degree angle!” she called. One hand held her own flute in demonstration while the other corrected the heights of the rest of the students. “Remember, the stadium lights will reflect off of the instrument, so they have to be perfect!”

Ingrid finally noticed Ashe and Byleth as they approached. “Oh good, you’re finally here, Ashe,” she said. “And nice to see you, Byleth!”

“Is something wrong?” Ashe asked, stepping into the center of the circle to join Ingrid.

Ingrid slightly tilted her head to the direction of a freshman sitting in the corner of the room. “She hasn’t stopped crying,” she said. “I haven’t been able to get the chance to console her. Think you can help?”

Ashe was already on his way. He quickly waved Byleth over.

Ashe sat on one side of the freshman while Byleth seated herself on the other. The freshman slowly lifted her head from her knees to glance at the two of them before lowering her gaze once more.

“Hey there, is everything okay?” Ashe asked. “It’s okay if you don’t feel comfortable talking. But, if you do want to talk about it, just let me know whether you want me to listen or give advice.”

The freshman slowly looked up again, her watery eyes now visible.

“I’ve tried playing the runs… so many times,” she stammered between sobs, “But I can’t play them. Everyone else plays them so easily, while I suck. I don’t think I can do it.”

“It’s okay if you can’t play them right now,” Ashe said. “You can always stay after school and let me help you.”

“But how come everyone else doesn’t have to work hard?” the freshman cried.

Ashe tilted his head back. “It’s true. Some people don’t have to practice much and can play all of the pieces just fine. But, the best part about playing an instrument is that anyone can catch up with hard work.”

“You’re just saying that because you’re a section leader.”

Ashe smiled. “But I’m not. When I first started playing, I couldn’t even make a sound. I remember crying for hours on end. And you want to know who helped me?”

She raised an eyebrow. “Who?”

“My Dad. He sat there with me, holding the headjoint to my face and positioning it so that I could finally make a note. He never gave up, and kept working with me until I had it down.”

“So… you had to work hard too?”

Ashe nodded.

“He’s telling the truth, you know.” Byleth was surprised to hear herself cut into the conversation. “Whenever I played at my recitals, people always told me they wish they could have been born with what I had. But, to be honest, the only reason I can play the way I do is because I spend so long practicing. Talent can only get you so far. It’s hard work that separates the good players from the best.”

The freshman rubbed the corners of her eyes. She didn’t seem to want to talk anymore, but the conversation clearly lifted her mood. “Thanks,” she muttered before picking up her flute and slowly joining the rest of the section.

Byleth let out a shaky breath. Freshmen could be hard to work with at times.

“You did great back there,” Ashe reassured her.

Byleth smiled. “I was only following your lead.”

“Doesn’t that make you feel so good? Helping someone find the motivation to keep going?” he asked.

Byleth nodded. As emotional as the two freshmen were, she felt a sense of accomplishment watching them work hard. Maybe this was why Jeralt wanted her to join band.

“It’s the reason why I became a section leader. I want to help people like my Dad has helped me,” Ashe said.

“He sounds like a great guy.” 

Ashe’s grins were usually bursting with enthusiasm, but at the moment his expression was soft. Byleth could practically see the memories running through his head.

“Yeah,” Ashe said. “He really is.”

***

Leonie stood on her tiptoes as she searched the band room for Byleth. She couldn’t believe it when Claude informed her Byleth had visited the battery right before their sectional.

_ You know how much the Eisners mean to me,  _ she thought to herself.

Leonie finally spotted Byleth out of the corner of her eye. She could already feel the excitement rising in her chest as she made her way toward the school’s drum major.

“Hey Byleth!” she said. “It’s been a while hasn’t it?”

Byleth nervously looked around the room. “I’m sorry,” she said, “Do I know you?”

Something inside of Leonie shattered.  _ Know me? _ “I was the kid your Dad gave lessons to for tenor drum,” she said, hoping to jog Byleth’s memories. “You usually played piano while we worked.

Byleth shook her head. “I’m sorry, but I don’t recall anything.”

_ That was blunt. _ “Surely you remember!” Leonie searched Byleth’s face for an answer, but even she could tell it was a lost cause.

“You really forgot about it all, didn’t you?” Leonie asked.

Byleth looked uncertain on what to say.

Leonie quickly walked away, not wanting the conversation to become any worse than it already had.

It was true, Leonie took lessons with Jeralt for only a single summer. The lessons were insanely expensive, and it took Leonie’s part time job and donations from her extended family to be able to afford them for such a short amount of time.

And yet… that was Leonie’s favorite summer. Every day she woke up, excited to learn more each day. Jeralt was a genius, that much was certain. Leonie had never gotten the chance to listen to many professionals, and hearing him for the first time opened up a world of possibilities. If she closed her eyes, she could still hear him playing for the first time.

It was from that moment Leonie idolized him. He wasn’t a distant celebrity from one of the recordings she found online. He was a real person, and he was teaching her how to be great, just like him.

For Leonie, it took all the support from her aunt and uncles just to be able to learn from Jeralt for a couple of weeks.

But for Byleth, it was just one more summer she spent with her Dad. It didn’t cost her a single penny to be able to ask her Dad about his musical expertise. She’d never had to pay to listen to him play. She could do it whenever she wanted.

And for that, Leonie was envious.

———

_ ~Director’s Seteth’s Guide to Marching Band~ _

_ Standing By: A command used by a drum major to bring the band to attention. _

_ Piccolo: An instrument part of the flute family. It’s smaller than the flute, and plays in a higher register. _

_ Sectionals: A set time for an instrument section to meet up with one another and work on their music or marching. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you keeping track at home:
> 
> ~Brass~  
> Edelgard- Trumpet  
> Hubert- Baritone
> 
> ~Woodwinds~  
> Dimitri- Alto Saxophone (formerly violin)  
> Dedue- Bass Clarinet (doubles as alto saxophone)  
> Mercedes- Clarinet  
> Annette- Clarinet  
> Ingrid- Flute  
> Ashe- Piccolo
> 
> ~Percussion~  
> Claude- Center Snare  
> Lorenz- Snare  
> Hilda- Bass  
> Raphael- Bass  
> Leonie- Tenor
> 
> Drum Major: Byleth
> 
> ~Staff~  
> Seteth- Band Director  
> Jeralt- Assistant Band Director  
> Rhea- School Principal

**Author's Note:**

> For those of you keeping track at home:
> 
> ~Brass~  
> Edelgard- Trumpet
> 
> ~Woodwinds~  
> Dimitri- Saxophone (formerly violin)
> 
> Drum Major: Byleth
> 
> Unknown: Hubert, Dedue, Claude, Hilda
> 
> ~Staff~  
> Seteth- Band Director  
> Jeralt- Assistant Band Director  
> Rhea- School Principal


End file.
